The thick top lid is one of the most expensive components of a radioactive waste canister. Such canisters may be used to store and transport non-fuel radioactive waste from nuclear generation plants such as activated reactor internals, control components, sundry non-fissile materials, and waste from operations such as resins, and in some applications vitrified nuclear waste fuel (“glass logs”) encased in an outer metal cylinder. On existing canisters, the thick top lid is needed to shield personnel from radiation who are working on the lid (e.g. welding, bolting, fluid operations, etc.). The lid must also be thicker because the lid further performs the main canister lifting connection, and therefore must have the thickness needed for structural reasons to support the weight of the entire canister when hoisted via a crane or similar equipment used to move the canister. For these reasons, the thick top lid of a waste canister adds considerably to the overall weight and expense of the canister.
An improved radioactive waste canister is desired.